There are 81 species of tunicate (subphylum Tunicata) recorded in Ireland.
Class Ascidiacea (sea squirts)
Order Aplousobranchia
Family Clavelinidae
Clavelina lepadiformis (light-bulb sea squirt)
Family Didemnidae
Didemnum fulgens Didemnum maculosum Didemnum vexillum (carpet sea squirt, an invasive species recorded in Strangford Lough in 2012) Diplosoma listerianum Diplosoma spongiforme Lissoclinum perforatum Trididemnum cereum Trididemnum tenerum
Family Holozoidae
Distaplia rosea
Family Polycitoridae
Archidistoma aggregatum
Family Polyclinidae
Aplidium densum Aplidium elegans Aplidium glabrum Aplidium nordmanni Aplidium pallidum Aplidium proliferum Aplidium punctum Aplidium turbinatum Morchellium argus (red-flake ascidian) Polyclinum aurantium Synoicum incrustatum Synoicum pulmonaria
Family Pycnoclavellidae Pycnoclavella aurilucens Pycnoclavella producta Pycnoclavella stolonialis
Order Phlebobranchia
Family Ascidiidae
Ascidia conchilega Ascidia mentula Ascidia virginea Ascidiella aspersa Ascidiella scabra Phallusia mammillata
Family Cionidae
Ciona intestinalis (vase tunicate)
Family Corellidae
Corella eumyota Corella parallelogramma
Family Diazonidae
Diazona violacea
Family Perophoridae
Perophora listeri
Order Pleurogona
Family Styelidae
Botrylloides leachii Botryllus schlosseri (star ascidian / golden star tunicate) Dendrodoa grossularia Distomus variolosus Polycarpa fibrosa Polycarpa gracilis Polycarpa pomaria Polycarpa scuba Stolonica socialis Styela clava (stalked sea squirt, club sea squirt, club tunicate, Asian tunicate, leathery sea squirt, rough sea squirt) Styela coriacea
Order Stolidobranchia
Family Molgulidae (sea grapes) Molgula citrina Molgula complanata Molgula manhattensis Molgula occulta Molgula oculata (sea grape)
Family Pyuridae
Boltenia echinata Microcosmus claudicans Pyura microcosmus Pyura squamulosa Pyura tessellata
Pelagic tunicates (free-swimming)
Class Appendicularia (larvaceans)
Order Copelata
Family Oikopleuridae 5 species
Family Fritillariidae 4 species
Class Thaliacea (pelagic tunicates)
Order Doliolida
Family Doliolidae 3 species
Order Salpida (salps)
Family Salpidae (salps) 7 species
Order Pyrosomida (pyrosomes)
Family Pyrosomatidae (pyrosomes) 1 species
References
Identification Harant, H. & Vernieres P., 1933. Tuniciers I. Faune de France n° 27 101 p., 94 fig.PDF (4 Mo) Harant, H. & Vernieres P., 1938 Tuniciers II. Faune de France n° 33 60 p., 64 fig. PDF (2 Mo)
External links Marine species identification portal